iRacing News

This is the iRacing 2023 Season 3 Release! This release contains both content and upgrades for 2023 Season 3, which officially starts on June 12th! This season update includes three new cars: Cadillac V-Series.R GTP, Ligier JS P320, and Porsche 911 GT3 R (992). iRacing also expands its track offerings to include MotorLand Aragón (7 configs) and Willow Springs International Raceway, as well as a new 2023 Cup config for Chicago Street Course.

Our Dirt Taskforce has completed their work on the Dirt Refresh Project shared with the community back in February, and we are excited for you to experience the fruits of their labors. The Spotter System has received a Race Control-focused set of updates and new calls that will liven up your racing and keep you better informed about what is happening on the track and in the race. New challengers approach - you will now have the ability to add AI Opponent Rosters to your Hosted Sessions that utilize the Heat Racing format! We are excited to announce we have been investing time into saving you time, loading time to be precise, and this Season Release includes a first phase of loading optimizations that should get you into the driver’s seat just a little bit faster. Willow Springs International Raceway is proud to pioneer a new 3D Foliage System that automatically populates the environment with grasses, shrubs, and other creations of Mother Nature. USB Audio Hot Swapping is now fully enabled and supported by iRacing for all of your headset and speaker needs. A new Graphics Option has also been added which controls the display of all cockpit obstructions instead of this parameter being car setup specific.

The New Damage Model has been put into practice on eleven additional cars. And last but not least our AI Drivers have mastered eight new cars and twenty-four new track configurations. Welcome to iRacing 2023 Season 3!





Season highlights include:

• Cadillac V-Series.R GTP
  
• Ligier JS P320
  
• Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)
  
• MotorLand Aragón (7 configs)
  
• Willow Springs International Raceway
  
• New Track Configuration: Chicago Street Course - 2023 Cup
  
• Dirt Racing Refresh Project
  
• New Spotter Calls and Updates for Race Control
  
• Hosted Session AI Heat Racing
  
• Phase 1 of Loading Time Improvements
  
• 3D Foliage System
  
• USB Audio Device Hot Swapping
  
• Cockpit Obstruction Removal Graphics Option
  
• New Damage Model for 11 Vehicles (Cadillac V-Series.R GTP, Dirt Late Model (ALL), Ligier JS P320, NASCAR Truck Series Trucks, Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992), Porsche 911 GT3 R (992), and Renault Clio R.S. V)
  
• AI Racing for 8 Cars (Aston Martin DBR9 GT1, Cadillac CTS-V Racecar, Cadillac V-Series.R GTP, Chevrolet Corvette C6.R GT1, Ford GT GT2, Ligier JS P320, Porsche 911 GT3 R (992), and Radical SR10)
  
• AI Racing at 24 Track Configurations (Autodromo Nazionale Monza - GP without first chicane, Junior, and GP without chicanes, Chicago Street Course - 2023 Cup and Prototype, Circuit of the Americas - East and West, Irwindale Speedway - ALL FIVE Configs, MotorLand Aragón - ALL SEVEN Configs, Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway - Mini, New Smyrna Speedway, Twin Ring Motegi - East and Oval, and Willow Springs International Raceway)
  
• Hundreds of new and optimized official iRacing vehicle setups
  

Visit our 2023 Season 3 features page here: https://www.iracing.com/seasons/2023-s3/




Full 2023 Season 3 Release details can be found on the iRacing Members Forums here:
https://forums.iracing.com/discussion/42721/2023-season-3-release-notes-2023-06-05-02

The Release Notes for the 2023 Season 2 Patch 5 Release have been posted to the Members Forums.

Read them below, or here: https://forums.iracing.com/discussion/41679/2023-season-2-patch-5-release-notes-2023-05-08-02




This Patch includes a variety of updates and fixes for the 2023 Season 2 Release.


iRACING:
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General
iRacing has undergone changes to ensure that it continues to be compatible with upcoming releases of the Electron application framework.
Button styles have been updated for improved contrast.
Fixed an issue with inconsistent icons displaying in the "Race Now" and "Test Drive" buttons.


Security
Changes have been made to improve the security between iRacing and the Electron framework. We would like to thank Stephen Shkardoon (ss23) for the responsible disclosure of the reported issues.
- - As a reminder, security issues can be reported at [email protected].


Official Series
A new column for Track Name has been added to the Sessions list for Official Series.
Fixed an issue where clicking the Back button in Go Racing > Series Results > Results was not taking you back to the Series Results tab.
Fixed an issue with the Event Start countdown and the Register button on the Series List for events that launched more than 30 minutes ago without the customer refreshing the page.


AI Racing
Fixed an issue where all cars available for joining an AI Event appeared to show an “Add to Cart” button, including cars you already owned.


Test Drive
Fixed an issue with the weather background images for Sunrise and Sunset.


Store
A “NEW!” prefix label has been added to the names of all content which was released less than 90 days ago. This content is also automatically floated to the top of the Store pages lists and grids, regardless of the selected sorting method.
- - Filters hide/display the “NEW!” items if applicable.


Friends List
If the Friends List is open when a modal window appears, it will now disappear until the modal window is closed.


SIMULATION:
--------------------------------------------------------------

Interface
Fixed an issue where the mouse-over tooltip for the WAIT button was hidden behind other interface elements. It now appears correctly below the button and informs the user why they are waiting for the DRIVE button to appear.


CARS:
--------------------------------------------------------------

GT3 Cars
iRacing setups have been updated.

The Release Notes for the 2023 Season 2 Patch 4 Release have been posted to the Members Forums.

Read them below, or here: https://forums.iracing.com/discussion/40803/2023-season-2-patch-4-release-notes-2023-04-18-02#latest



==============================================================

This Patch includes a variety of updates and fixes for the 2023 Season 2 Release.



SIMULATION:
--------------------------------------------------------------

AI Racing
Fixed an issue where AI Drivers could sometimes select a substantially inferior downforce package for an event.

Graphics
The pop-up warning text for increasing graphics memory sliders into the Danger Zone has been updated.

Controls
For Force Feedback, improved the remaining issues with GameInput API where some wheels could complain and cause conflicts with iRFFB.



CARS:
--------------------------------------------------------------

Stock Car Pro Series Cars
Contingency decals and branding have been updated for the 2023 Season.

Audi R8 LMS GT3
Fixed an issue where the R8 logo on the trunk would appear incorrect when the New Damage Model was in use for this car.

Dallara F3
iRacing setups have been updated.

Mercedes-AMG GT4
Improved ABS system with faster response and better control and performance.

Vehicle mass has increased slightly.

Fixed an issue where RPM lights were not displaying at correct intervals.

iRacing setups have been updated.

Release Notes for 2023 Season 2 Patch 3 have been posted to the iRacing Forums.

Read them below, or on the iRacing Forums here:

https://forums.iracing.com/discussion/40168/2023-season-2-patch-3-release-notes-2023-04-05-02#latest



========================================================================



This Patch includes a variety of updates and fixes for the 2023 Season 2 Release.


SIMULATION:
--------------------------------------------------------------
Race Control
Fixed an issue where the leader during a rolling restart in a Start Zone could trigger a Jump Start Black Flag penalty on themself.

Auto Fuel
The Auto Fuel Lap Margin limits have been increased to +/- 10.
A label has been added to the Auto Fuel box when there is not yet sufficient fuel data for it to work correctly.
Auto Fuel now appears in a disabled state during the Cooldown, Gridding, and Outlap.
Controls for Auto Fuel in the Options menu have been renamed and are now functional.
Some values for the Auto Fuel system have been added to the [Pit Service] section of the “app.ini” file.
- - autoFuelDefaultEnable= 1 (Enable Auto Fuel by default for Races) or 0 ( Disable Auto Fuel by default for Races)
- - autoFuelDefaultMarginLaps= 1.0000 (Number of Laps of fuel to add as a safety margin by default)
- - - - When the Auto Fuel field is grayed out, it will show “1.0” for the lap margin, but the default value will be applied when the Race starts.
The “autoFuelDefaultEnable” setting in the “app.ini” file is now used to enable/disable Auto Fuel on pit exit.
The pit macro, “autofuel", has been added.
- - Toggle, Invert, and Clear functionality have been enabled.
The Auto Fuel chat macros now support the use of negative values for adjustments.
The Auto Fuel system is now available for the Gen 4 Cup Car.
Fixed an issue where Auto Fuel calculations were incorrect once the checkered flag had flown.

New Damage Model
With the systemic New Damage Model changes released with 2023 Season 2, many vehicles were in a place of unrealistically higher durability. This patch includes a variety of vehicle body panel adjustments that should generally weaken their strengths, and make the cars much more realistic. This Patch completes our post-Season 2 Release assessment for realism and balance for New Damage Model cars that was identified in Patch 2. The vehicles affected by these changes include the following:
- - GT1 Cars
- - GT3 Cars
- - NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen Cars
- - BMW M Hybrid V8
- - Dallara P217
- - Dirt Sprint Car
- - Dirt Sprint Car Non-Winged
- - Formula Vee
- - Mercedes-AMG W12 E Performance
- - Porsche Mission R

Graphics
The upper limits for both CPU and GPU memory sliders in the graphics options have been increased to 32GB and 16GB respectively.

Controls
Fixed an issue with GameInput API for Force Feedback caused by a recent Microsoft Gaming Input update.
- - Now, we force the FFB device to always restart its FX every time they are updated. If you have a Thrustmaster device, you should also update the wheel drivers to the latest versions.

Telemetry
A new variable, “PushToTalk”, has been added to telemetry.
- - This variable is true when you hit the push-to-talk voice chat button. This does not mean that others can hear you, just that you attempted to send voice chat data to the server. The server still has the power to prioritize who is talking or apply restrictions on your voice chat.


CARS:
--------------------------------------------------------------
GT4 Cars
Improved ABS system with faster response and better control and performance.
Class Balance of Performance has been adjusted slightly.
Updated shift indicator light settings.
iRacing setups have been updated.

ARCA Menards Chevy / Gen 4 Cup
(Gen 4 Cup) - Auto Fuel is now available for this car.
(Gen 4 Cup) - iRacing setups have been updated.

Audi RS 3 LMS
Rear damping has been increased.
iRacing setups have been updated.

BMW M4 GT4
Aerodynamic balance has been shifted forward.

McLaren 570s GT4
Vehicle mass has been increased slightly.

Mercedes-AMG GT4
Vehicle mass has been increased slightly.

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR
Engine torque has been increased slightly.

Radical SR10
iRacing setups have been updated.

Ray FF1600
Camber adjustment range has been updated.


TRACKS:
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Circuit of the Americas
(Grand Prix and West) - Standing start stall locations have been adjusted to better match the painted stalls on the track.

Sebring International Raceway
Fixed an issue where night lighting had some significantly brighter areas.

[Legacy] Texas Motor Speedway - 2009
(Oval) - Track surface parameters have been updated for improved multi-groove racing.

2023 Season 2 Patch 2 Release Notes [2023.03.20.02]

This Patch includes a variety of updates and fixes for the 2023 Season 2 Release.


SIMULATION:
--------------------------------------------------------------
Physics
Fixed an issue where cars would appear to fly above the track surface at Charlotte Motor Speedway - Rallycross when back-patching was not in effect.

Graphics
A new graphics option, ZBuffer32Bits, has been added to the “rendererDX1.ini” file.
- - This option is enabled (set to 1) by default, and forces the Simulation to use a 32 bit depth buffer. This helps NVidia users who are seeing excessive z-fighting. This option uses double the video memory for the depth-stencil buffer (it will grow from 32-bits to 64-bits per pixel).

AI Racing
AI Drivers have improved their racing behavior with the Skip Barber Formula 2000 and should be less likely to slide and smoke. Both were bad for their health.

New Damage Model
With the systemic New Damage Model changes released with 2023 Season 2, many vehicles were in a place of unrealistically higher durability. This patch includes a variety of vehicle body panel adjustments that should generally weaken their strengths, and make the cars much more realistic. We continue to assess realism and balance for New Damage Model cars with the 2023 Season 2 changes, and additional updates to these or additional cars may be in future Patches. The vehicles affected by these changes include the following:
- - GT4 Cars
- - NASCAR Classic 1987 Cars
- - Touring Class Cars
- - Dallara F3
- - Dallara iR-01
- - Dallara IR18
- - Dirt Street Stock
- - Formula Renault 2.0
- - Global Mazda MX-5 Cup
- - Indy Pro 2000 PM-18
- - iRacing Formula iR-04
- - Mercedes-AMG W13 E Performance
- - SCCA Spec Racer Ford
- - Street Stock
- - USF 2000

Replay
Fixed a Simulator crash issue that could occur while fast-forwarding or rewinding a Replay for a Session that included driver swaps.
Fixed an issue that could cause the window title bar to show the wrong message when saving a replay.


CARS:
--------------------------------------------------------------
ARCA Menards Chevrolet Impala / Gen 4 Cup
(Gen 4 Cup) - Auto Fuel is now available for this car.
(Gen 4 Cup) - Improved the higher revving external/trackside engine sounds.
(Gen 4 Cup) - Pit board has been updated to display correctly.
(Gen 4 Cup) - Opponent car rev limiter has been updated.

Audi R8 LMS GT3
Fixed an issue with the Dashboard Box RPM not changing colors correctly.

Dallara F3
iRacing setups have been updated.

Dallara iR-01
Wing adjustment tooltip has been updated for accuracy.

Ford GT2 / GT3
These car names have been adjusted slightly for clarity.

Honda Civic Type R
Fixed an issue with the Dashboard Box RPM not changing colors correctly.

Late Model Stock
The bumpstop packer allowable adjustment range has been narrowed.
Maximum braking effort value has been reduced.

Lotus 79
iRacing setups have been updated.

Modified - SK / NASCAR Whelen Tour Modified
These car names have been adjusted slightly for clarity.

NASCAR Truck Toyota Tundra TRD Pro
Fixed an issue with the display of this vehicle in the Paint Shop.

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992)
The low fuel warning may now be cleared by mapping the low fuel acknowledge control and holding it down for 2 seconds.

Renault Clio R.S. V
Fixed an issue where a Member joining an Open Practice Session with this car could cause all other drivers in the Session to crash-to-desktop.

Ruf RT 12R
Fixed an issue where this car would fail to load at night.


TRACKS:
--------------------------------------------------------------
Circuito de Jerez - Ángel Nieto
(Both) - Fixed an issue where drivers could receive an unsafe pit entry/exit penalty by driving next to the pit wall on the track side.
(Moto) - Fixed an issue where DRS was not working at this track configuration.

Crandon International Raceway
Fixed an issue with Race Control at this track.

Knockhill Racing Circuit
(National & National Rev.) - A gain-time checkpoint has been added to the exit of the dirt area to prevent cutting wide to the service road for a better line.

Limaland Motorsports Park
Fixed an issue with Race Control at this track.

Sebring International Raceway
Fixed some terrain surface and environment artwork issues.
Terrain near the pits has been updated.